CVR4 track days

[Atik]

Ok, this is probably in the wrong place but I didnt want to fill up the UK Meets section anymore than it already is... I'm already running a risk of Nev's shiny stick of the ban variety! I placed it here so that I can reach the admin people and keep the riff-raff out until the right time :p

I was wondering how feasible it would be to run a trackday at a circuit somewhere just for us CVR4 people? Obviously there is a cost involved to hire the track and to be honest I have no idea if £1,000 or £10,000 is reasonable for a track hire.

Cost split between people tracking their cars. Can we get in with one of the usual track day suppliers somewhere to book out a few hours of the track just for us?

I went to a triple club track day at Silverstone last year with Bern and it was enjoyable albeit surrounded by Evos, Imprezas and Skylines!

I trust our guys to play safe on track and would feel comfortable going on track with friendly faces around and a general CVR4 atmosphere rather than the usual MLR type behaviour.

I know I've hit the track-bug and am thinking Mike and Don have too. And if we were able to take over a track for a few hours a whole host of our usual suspects and anyone else interested could join in too. I mean, we had 20 or so VR4s on track at Japfest, I'm sure we could get at least 20 or so cars again for some action.

How about something like a club picnic/barbecue with an afternoon of track somewhere sound? Evening entertainment too if people feel like it.

I know this is a big ask and would be a massive undertaking to organise, but thought I'd ask anyway.

Ok, you can /pan me now...

[AncientOfMu]

I love tracking a VR4 (now I have one that works properly and is set up well).


HOWEVER.

Spending £60 for a couple of track sessions is all well and good.

A track Day itself is a whole other ballgame.

Tyres, Brakes, wear and tear etc etc. It would get very expensive very quickly I feel.

Just my opinion.

[Atik]

I know it could get costly, which is why I'm just asking to see how feasible something like this would be.

My simple man-maths are thinking, if it costs £1000 per hour to hire a track, thats £100 each if we get 10 people. Realistically we wont be on track for the full 60minutes, I know, but in that, two twenty minute sessions should be doable? If we get more people, the cost gets split even more. If we take the track for two hours, then we can do three or four short sessions.

Its not a suggestion I'm putting forward, I just wanted to see if it was feasible and if the club as a whole would want to do something like this. To be honest, the short 15/20 minute runs at JApfest and Trax and the like are more than enough for me, but they still pose the risk of silly twats in Imprezas spinning off ruining the fun. The CVR4 crowd, I trust a hell of a lot more and would feel secure knowing that there are likeminded people out there with me instead of the usual ar5es you get at car shows.

[AncientOfMu]

It is to be fair a very good idea.

but I'm completely unsure of the logistics.

Should certainly be something the committee looks into.

I dont even know if you can hire a track by the hour....

[chris g]

BookaTrack can do dedicated trackdays but the cost probably depends on the track, weekday or weekend and sessions or open pit lane...

Getting a session or three (an hour) will probably not be available - I think we would need to have booked a full day...

If we shared with MLR for a club day, took half the spaces available, we could have a way forward for an MLR/CVR4 trackday...

[HJM]

I've seen so many car clubs try and organise this sort of thing and it rarely gets off the ground ...............

Rather than get bogged down with the admin/insurance/cash collection issues, why not just get together and do a block booking on an organised day?

I know you all like the idea of a VR4 only track day, but I'd be very (pleasantly, btw) surprised if you don't have to bring in other cars to make up the numbers, so why not just join in with someone elses?

The MLR run some good days, which are reasonabaly priced ........

I don't think anyone will hire you a track by the hour and they are very expensive, especially at weekends. Although if you really do want to do it, Llandow seems the track of choice for car clubs - purely 'cos its reasonably priced. The Supra guys went there last year and are returning again in June. It does have a reputation for tyre wear though ...............

Just my 50p worth :)

J

[kiteman]

Jane has the right idea, but whatever you decide to do atik, consider me a definite.

[White Lightning]

I know when we asked before Castle Combe was about £5000 for one day.

[Spirit]

I know when we asked before Castle Combe was about £5000 for one day.

That was going back several years too, when UJCC ran a couple of their own days.....but even they dropped it as people let them down.....it was the usual "yes I will do it" until it came to coughing up the money ! The last one they run the guy who organised it had to payout over £1000 from his own pocket !

Others have hit the nail on the head so to speak. It would either have to be a joint venture with another club(s) or all try to book a particular session with the likes of Bookatrack. We will never get enough people solely from CVR4. What you need though is an open pit lane so people can drive and learn at their own pace.

However, there may be an alternative.....again it has been mentioned before. This is a airfield day. If you have time to look into it Atik you may find this would be cheaper and could be good fun to push the VR4 to it's limits, around say a coned course, in a safe enviroment.

[SGHOM]

However, there may be an alternative.....again it has been mentioned before. This is a airfield day. If you have time to look into it Atik you may find this would be cheaper and could be good fun to push the VR4 to it's limits, around say a coned course, in a safe enviroment.

Elvington.. York.
Nothing to hit, so you can play to you're hearts content !! /GJ :D

[Spirit]

Elvington.. York.
Nothing to hit, so you can play to you're hearts content !! /GJ :D

There are also several around the Wiltshire area IIRC

[SGHOM]

http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5779&highlight=Elvington

Ah the memory's /haz /notworthy /Wave

[miller]

bleak place Elvington! i was on the 1/4 there once in the GTO in a Blizzard!

[SGHOM]

bleak place Elvington! i was on the 1/4 there once in the GTO in a Blizzard!

We normally try to avoid February !! /haz

[Spirit]

Just as a starting point, I have spoken to someone at Castle Combe and will get an email tomorrow with pricing. They don't have prices for half days as they don't normally do them, but of course they would be silly to turn away any business at the moment so they may be able to work out a "deal" if we took things forward.

They allow a maximum of 12 cars at a time on the track, but no restriction on the number of cars at the event. So with an open pitlane format you just wait in the paddock until there is a slot on the track.

Will update once I get the email......at least it will give an idea of costs involved.

Edit: I have also left my details with a lady at Javelin trackdays to see what the cheapest options are.....again will feed back any news as and when

[jakester]

May I suggest having a word with the guys over at bigpower.co.uk. I used to be a member, they have an arrangement with snetterton as they have a monthly meet there. They also do a fair few track days there too and get very good rates (the last one I did was £100 all day open pit with a pitlane garage included). I love snetterton, it is a great circuit to cut yor teeth on (I clocked 110mph through the bombhole in a blizzard :) ). The big power guys have a mixture of cars from integras to 911GT3's and, are very good and safe drivers :)

[WildCards]

IIRC Cadwell Park cost £3000 when we went in February. That was a Monday. The in-charge bloke implied that was their weekday cost, I didn't ask if it increased for the summer.

It's a little to the North for alot of members, but it's a brilliant track and very VR-4 friendly I thought. For that money too the cafe was open serving pretty decent grub at lunch time.

[Roadrunner]

Friend booked Knockhill recently for a company track night - £1800 for 2 hours including the use of an instructor for the evening. Price includes briefing, free hire of helmets, all marshals, etc. Restaurant open too. 16 of us went, cost £116 each but, although the track is only 1.3 miles, it felt empty most of the time. They would take up to 50 on a track night for the same money.

[Nutter_John]

count me in where ever it is

[Atik]

Good feedback and suggestions guys, thanks.

I suppose for £5000 for Combe (at the old price), we'd need 50 people to get it down to £100 each, which therefore means opening it to other clubs as I doubt we'd get 50 from CVR4. Thats the sort of cost idea I wanted to understand.
Pete, if Combe did do a half day for a reduced price that would be fantasctic. Looking forward to a response.

Also, what Roadrunner posted is interesting. A 2hr hire of the track for £1800 for 20 VR4s would cost £90 each. Thats is also the kind of info I was looking for.

If we could get a track for a couple of hours, that would give people enough time to take three or four 15-20 minutes sessions in the time.

[Nick Mann]

I agree with Jane.

Small steps first before we start trying to run. Try a poll asking people if they would attend a track day in the week or at the weekend only. Find the numbers and then look at potential book-a-track track or similar track days. Nominate one, then everyone who is interested books their slot.

If this works a couple of times and numbers are high enough, then we consider other stuff afterwards.

We can't sell 20 slots at Japfest so I don't see how we've got a chance at anything else with more than 10 attendees.

[aboo]

Knockhill would be good.

If I broke down it would'nt be so far for getting home:laugh:

Knockhill is a good track but maybe a bit far for you guys down south. But if I can get down to Japfest its not impossible:D. & There maybe some Scottish members that would be intrested.

[HJM]

I agree with Jane.

Small steps first before we start trying to run. Try a poll asking people if they would attend a track day in the week or at the weekend only. Find the numbers and then look at potential book-a-track track or similar track days. Nominate one, then everyone who is interested books their slot.

If this works a couple of times and numbers are high enough, then we consider other stuff afterwards.

We can't sell 20 slots at Japfest so I don't see how we've got a chance at anything else with more than 10 attendees.

Well put Nick - not exactly a rosey time financially for most people at the moment so could really struggle to get numbers.

H

[Spirit]

Ok, got a reply finally from Combe today and here are some prices to give people an idea of what's involved:

'3' Car Day - This will allow you to have no more than '3' cars on track at any one time - £3,600 + VAT

'4' Car Day - This will allow you to have no more than '4' cars on track at any one time - £4,400 + VAT

'6' Car Day - Again no more than '6' on track at any one time - £5,500 + VAT

'12' Car Day - This is max no of cars allowed on track at any one time - £6,500+ VAT

All prices include all necessary staff ie marshals, paramedic, rescue vehicle and a track manager.

[HJM]

Ok, got a reply finally from Combe today and here are some prices to give people an idea of what's involved:

'3' Car Day - This will allow you to have no more than '3' cars on track at any one time - £3,600 + VAT

'4' Car Day - This will allow you to have no more than '4' cars on track at any one time - £4,400 + VAT

'6' Car Day - Again no more than '6' on track at any one time - £5,500 + VAT

'12' Car Day - This is max no of cars allowed on track at any one time - £6,500+ VAT

All prices include all necessary staff ie marshals, paramedic, rescue vehicle and a track manager.

So if all the above options are max'd out that works out at:

£300 per person for 3 car etc...
£275
£230
£135

So only viable option is the last one as Combe's own trackdays are £170.

But as suggested, too risky for club to commit to and why not just try and block book one of Combe's own monthly dates well ahead for the people that really will pay and go ???

Ok there will be a few more bods on track and not exclusively VR4's, but I'm sure the club would have to open up to other clubs and end up with non-VR4's anyway.

Also there is the fact that several track going members have moved on and don't have VR4's any more.

Otherwise its Llandow - cheap and cheerful by all accounts ???

Simon and I were going to go with the mkivsupra club last year, but opted for a Ring trip nearer the time. The Supra bunch by all accounts had a fun time and are doing it again this year.

Llandow costs (all + VAT):

Mon and Fri £1500
Tue, Wed, Thu £1200
Sat £2000
Sun £3000

and you can have upto 10 on track, so could work out as cheap as £35 per person.

H

[WildCards]

Or Cadwell Heath, and you're not limited to the amount of cars on track (within reason).

[oldgit9]

sounds like a good idea. and if i had the time, cash, i would attend.

i done a little search on google for pembrey race track (my local track back home in wales) and i found this site www.trackdays.co.uk and they have loads of different track days and events. starting from £79 up to £400+

[Nick Mann]

That's exactly what some of us were suggesting in the first place. Use someone like bookatrack or trackdays and just announce which one early enough that people have the chance to book it. If enough of us booked, we'd end up with a CVR4 track day anyway.

[chris g]

But people do NOT book...

[Nick Mann]

To be fair, Chris, when was the last time people had a couple of months notice of a book-a-track event.

People don't book to go to the ring, but that is a lot more time and a lot more cost.

I think if a day was suggested, say for late sept/early oct now at a not too inaccessable circuit then we'd get a few people signing up.

[chris g]

Yes I was a little harsh - my comment was particularly linked to the Ring - over a few years people, not juston here, have spoken of going then do not book or pull out at last minute...

For a CVR4 UK trackday, ifa date and venue is chosen with enough notice then we might get quite a few people booking for a good CVR4 day...

Ironically I think the Ring is actually easier on the car than a regular trackday...

[Nick Mann]

Chris, I think you are right about the ring being easier on the car. Obviously not through experience, but from what I have heard many people say. The issue with the ring is distance, which quickly means time and money.

But sometime this autumn/winter, if no-one else has done so before, I'll try and find a track day to tempt members!

[mark-vr4]

last year i went on a charity track day at RAF Marham.
it was £65 for a day.

it's half hour slots and open pit lane.

you're either in group one or group 2.
you effectively get 8 30 min slots for under £70... BARGAIN :D

[phosty]

Friend booked Knockhill recently for a company track night - £1800 for 2 hours including the use of an instructor for the evening. Price includes briefing, free hire of helmets, all marshals, etc. Restaurant open too. 16 of us went, cost £116 each but, although the track is only 1.3 miles, it felt empty most of the time. They would take up to 50 on a track night for the same money.

I'd pay up to £200 for 2 hours track time at Knockhill personally. So we'd need between 9and 18 takers if people we willing to pay between £100-£200. I paid £100ish last time for their introductory track session thing and that only gave you 30 mins on track (but I used every second!).

[chris g]

I would want a full day for that sort of money - you can get full days at a number of tracks for similar money...

[phosty]

Ahh...but there aren't any other public access race tracks nearer Aberdeen that I'm aware of. If I lived next door to Silverstone, Castle Combe or similar then I would agree.

[chris g]

Well as I do not live next door to anything.....

I work near to Cadwell

But travel to the Ring...

So wherever is chosen, we may have to travel, many of us will not live next door to the track and event/price has to be for a full day, preferably open pit lane...